Abstract
Four-quarter, composite milk samples were collected from 339 heifers calving for the first time in a large Californian dairy which consistently had low herd somatic cell counts and low prevalence of major mastitis pathogens. The milk samples were collected on average at 6.4 days post partum (range 1-17). Thirty-nine percent of the heifers were subclinically infected with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. Other results were: no growth, 29%; coliform only, 16%; Streptococcus spp. only, 11%; Streptococcus spp. and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. only, 4%; others, 1%. The somatic cell counts and milk production were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between culture groups over the first five monthly Dairy Herd Improvement test periods. Somatic cell counts decreased significantly after the first test period within the Streptococcus spp. group (P < 0.002) and Staphylococcus spp. group (P < 0.01). Milk production was higher during most of the second and third test periods (P < 0.03) compared with the first period. The frequency of heifers lost to analysis was not different between the culture groups. Results from this dairy indicate that subclinical infections with minor pathogens (primarily coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.) had no significant effect on average somatic cell counts or milk production during early to middle lactation.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 187-198 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Preventive Veterinary Medicine |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 15 1996 |
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Keywords
- Bacteriology
- Early lactation
- Heifers
- Mastitis
- Production
- Somatic cell counts
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Food Animals
- Animal Science and Zoology
Cite this
Relationships of milk culture status at calving with somatic cell counts and milk production of dairy heifers during early lactation on a Californian dairy. / Kirk, John H.; Wright, Jim C.; Berry, Steven L.; Reynolds, James P.; Maas, John; Ahmadi, Abbas.
In: Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Vol. 28, No. 3, 15.09.1996, p. 187-198.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationships of milk culture status at calving with somatic cell counts and milk production of dairy heifers during early lactation on a Californian dairy
AU - Kirk, John H.
AU - Wright, Jim C.
AU - Berry, Steven L.
AU - Reynolds, James P.
AU - Maas, John
AU - Ahmadi, Abbas
PY - 1996/9/15
Y1 - 1996/9/15
N2 - Four-quarter, composite milk samples were collected from 339 heifers calving for the first time in a large Californian dairy which consistently had low herd somatic cell counts and low prevalence of major mastitis pathogens. The milk samples were collected on average at 6.4 days post partum (range 1-17). Thirty-nine percent of the heifers were subclinically infected with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. Other results were: no growth, 29%; coliform only, 16%; Streptococcus spp. only, 11%; Streptococcus spp. and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. only, 4%; others, 1%. The somatic cell counts and milk production were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between culture groups over the first five monthly Dairy Herd Improvement test periods. Somatic cell counts decreased significantly after the first test period within the Streptococcus spp. group (P < 0.002) and Staphylococcus spp. group (P < 0.01). Milk production was higher during most of the second and third test periods (P < 0.03) compared with the first period. The frequency of heifers lost to analysis was not different between the culture groups. Results from this dairy indicate that subclinical infections with minor pathogens (primarily coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.) had no significant effect on average somatic cell counts or milk production during early to middle lactation.
AB - Four-quarter, composite milk samples were collected from 339 heifers calving for the first time in a large Californian dairy which consistently had low herd somatic cell counts and low prevalence of major mastitis pathogens. The milk samples were collected on average at 6.4 days post partum (range 1-17). Thirty-nine percent of the heifers were subclinically infected with coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. Other results were: no growth, 29%; coliform only, 16%; Streptococcus spp. only, 11%; Streptococcus spp. and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. only, 4%; others, 1%. The somatic cell counts and milk production were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between culture groups over the first five monthly Dairy Herd Improvement test periods. Somatic cell counts decreased significantly after the first test period within the Streptococcus spp. group (P < 0.002) and Staphylococcus spp. group (P < 0.01). Milk production was higher during most of the second and third test periods (P < 0.03) compared with the first period. The frequency of heifers lost to analysis was not different between the culture groups. Results from this dairy indicate that subclinical infections with minor pathogens (primarily coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.) had no significant effect on average somatic cell counts or milk production during early to middle lactation.
KW - Bacteriology
KW - Early lactation
KW - Heifers
KW - Mastitis
KW - Production
KW - Somatic cell counts
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0012585272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0012585272&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0167-5877(96)01037-9
DO - 10.1016/0167-5877(96)01037-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0012585272
VL - 28
SP - 187
EP - 198
JO - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
JF - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
SN - 0167-5877
IS - 3
ER -